Another season is upon us, and so is another Foxboro Blog Top 12. As usual, I will be ranking the Top 12 teams in the league each week. Since there's 12 playoff spots up for grabs, I figured that was a good number to go with when I was coming up with the concept. After all, nobody cares who's the 27th best team in the league, right? So without further ado, here's my very innaccurate list that is bound to be unrecognizable come Week 17.

#1 – San Francisco 49ers

Going with a #1 was tough for me this year. Usually, I just homer it in and pick the Pats… At any rate, the defending NFC Champs are as good a pick as any, even if the injury bug has left me wondering if they'll be taking a step back this year.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: vs. Packers

#2 – Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta was given strong consideration for the top seed. However, after some major playoff choke jobs, they're going to need to show me something before I just outright hand them the #1 spot.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: @ Saints

#3 – New England Patriots

Remember when Tom Brady took a receiving corps headlined by Reche Caldwell to the AFC Championship game and within a few minutes of the Super Bowl? Remember the last time scandal rocked the Patriots early in the season back in 2007? Remember how everyone said they were dead in the water going into the year in 2003? I'll believe Amendola is capable of replacing Welker until he proves otherwise. I'll believe that Kenbrell Thompkins and Zach Sudfeld can replace Aaron Hernandez's production. I'll believe that the defense will be stronger with another year under their belts. So why only the #3 spot?

Gronk ain't playing Week1.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: @ Bills

#4 – Denver Broncos

Denver is everybody's pre-season favorite to make it to the Super Bowl. Apparently having no center and losing Elvis Dumervil are no cause for concern. Don't get me wrong, we seemed destined for a Brady/Manning AFC Championship matchup, but I'm still not a huge believer in the Broncos.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: vs. Ravens

#5 – Seattle Seahawks

Everyone's ready to crown the Seahawks. Everyone but me, that is. They were a fun team in 2012, but were still an RGIII injury away from being sent packing in the Wild Card round. I think the whole "Seahawks taking over the NFC West" bit is a little premature.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: @ Panthers

#6 – Green Bay Packers

I feel like the Packers are slightly under-rated heading into the season. In fact, I think they're being under-rated right now by me. Don't be shocked to see them in the Super Bowl. I'm getting the vibe of a sleeper team here.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: @ 49ers

#7 – Houston Texans

They could easily be ranked much higher, but I still don't have faith in this team in a big game.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: @ Chargers

#8 – Cincinnati Bengals

How about another sleeper for you? While I can't imagine them stringing off a series of playoff wins to make it to New York, I do see them taking the AFC North.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: @ Chicago

#9 – Baltimore Ravens

They are who we thought they were. A mediocre team who managed to get hot at just the right moment. I still can't explain how this team won the Super Bowl, other than horrible defense by the Broncos and Ray Lewis' contract with Satan. I mean, this team was off the Top 12 board heading late into the season last year. Now, with a depleted and picked over roster, they're going to be a shell of themselves. Which is a shame, since I absolutely loved it when the Patriots played them.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: @ Broncos

#10 – Chicago Bears

The Bears seem to like residing here in the doldrums of the Top 12. I foresee them having a permanent place here, being just good enough to fend off mediocrity.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: vs. Bengals

#11 – Washington Redskins

I'm grasping for straws down here at the end, as usual. These bottom two spots are always the toughest. We're an RGIII knee injury away from this team being ranked 26th in the league.

Last Week: N/A Change: N/A Record: 0-0 Next Game: vs. Eagles

#12 – Dallas Cowboys

This is our annual event where we put the Cowboys in the Top 12 based on "reputation", only to have them plummet off the board, never to be seen again.

As expected, there are some big changes in the Top 12. We have a new #1 team, we have a team making it’s Top 12 debut, we have two teams rising 4 spots each, and two teams plummeting 5 spots each, and two teams in the Top 12 who weren’t there last week! And next week is almost guaranteed to be just as crazy with six of our twelve teams facing off against each other! Click “Read More” to see the madness!

Ranking

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Last Week

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Next Game

1

5

+4

1-0

@ Titans

Only one team trounced another team in the Top 12, and that was Baltimore decimating Pittsburgh. As a result, they dethrone Green Bay for the #1 spot.

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Last Week

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2

1

-1

1-0

@ Panthers

Face it, the Ravens were far more impressive in Week 1. Still, props to the defending champs for pulling out the W against a tough Saints team. Where’s the D, though?

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Last Week

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3

2

-1

1-0

vs. Chargers

I’m not thrilled about surrendering 24 against Miami. In retrospect though, 7 points were due to Brady’s flukey INT, and another 7 came in garbage time.

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4

4

0

0-1

vs. Bears

Can’t fault them for losing at Lambeau, especially when they were at the goal line, about to tie the game.

Ranking

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5

8

+3

1-0

@ Falcons

Eagles started slow, but finished strong in St. Louie.

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6

10

+4

1-0

@ Dolphins

As good as the Texans looked, the Colts looked that much more awful.

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7

N/A

N/A

0-0

@ Saints

The Bears proved why they won the NFC North last year. Don’t pencil in Green Bay just yet.

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8

3

-5

0-1

vs. Eagles

Massive breakdowns on the O-line. Very disappointing start for the Falcons. That’s two horrendous games in a row now.

Ranking

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9

7

-2

1-0

vs. Jaguars

When your opposition gifts you a win, I gift you a drop in the rankings.

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Team

Last Week

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10

9

-1

1-0

@ Patriots

Not the most impressive W against the Vikes. Big challenge on the road this week.

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11

6

-5

0-1

vs. Seahawks

Utterly. Embarrassing. The only more lopsided game in recent memory to a huge rival like that was New England’s drubbing of the Jets 45-3 last December.

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12

N/A

N/A

1-0

vs. Chiefs

Look who snuck into the Top 12 for the first time ever! The real question is whether they can stay here.

We’re a single week into the season and already there’s chaos in the Top 12! Like I said last week, my pre-season rankings were pure prognostication and bound to be innaccurate. This week, with some actual games to base the rankings on, you may be able to take these standings with half a grain of salt. Still, if past seasons are any indication, the NFL picture will remain muddied for at least another three weeks. As a result, I’m only going to get mildly excited about my Patriots, who were this week’s big riser, soaring up three spots!

Click “Read More” below to view the rankings!

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1

2

1

1-0

@ 49ers

I could be a jerk and knock the Saints down a peg for their ugly win against Minnesota, but the fact remains that they’re the only team who played in the Super Bowl last year that’s undefeated. That certainly counts for something. I’m also pretty sure 1-0 will become 2-0 when they bring the smack down to San Fran next Monday Night.

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2

4

2

1-0

vs. Bengals

After all the hype about their new offensive weapons, Baltimore proved that its defense is as tough as ever. You know what they say about defense and winning championships…

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Last Week

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3

6

3

1-0

@ Jets

That silence you hear? It’s all the doubters who have nothing to say following New England’s dominating victory over the Bengals. The Pats can’t celebrate too much, though, with a huge divison road game against the Jets looming.

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4

5

1

1-0

vs. Bills

The Packers pulled out a solid win on the road against Philadelphia. Still, given that the Eagles starting QB left the game with a concussion, I would’ve expected more than a 7 point win.

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5

1

4

0-1

vs. Giants

This is probably a steep drop for the team that I had winning the Super Bowl. Still, it’s hard to argue against the four team above them, who all racked up wins against 2009 playoff teams. The biggest loss for the Colts on Sunday wasn’t to the Texans. It was Bob Sanders. Ouch.

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6

3

3

0-1

vs. Bears

Dallas shouldn’t have been in the position where a dumb play or two could cost them the game. I could easily drop them lower for their stinkbomb against Washington, but I’m trying to not over-react too much this week.

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7

7

None

0-1

vs. Patriots

I would drop the Jets a notch after their six first-down performance, but that would require me raising the Falcons who also lost and didn’t light up the score board either. Remember this, Jets fans…

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8

8

None

0-1

vs. Cardinals

An overtime loss, on the road, to Pittsburgh… I can’t fault the Falcons too much. They were my NFC pick for the Super Bowl, so I gotta cut ‘em some slack.

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9

N/A

N/A

1-0

@ Redskinsvs

Making their Foxboro Blog Top 12 debut: The Houston Texans! Yup, that’s what knocking off a team like the Colts will do for you!

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10

N/A

N/A

1-0

@ Titans

Without Big Ben, the Steelers gutted their way to a tough overtime win. At this point, they’ll take a W any way they can get it. If they can win even one of the next three games, they’ll have put themselves in a very good position when Rothlisberger returns.

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11

10

1

0-1

vs. Jaguars

I didn’t drop the Jets or Falcons because they lost close games to “good” teams. San Diego will share the same fate as the underachieving Colts and Cowboys by taking a dip in the standings.

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12

N/A

N/A

1-0

@ Colts

There were a lot of teams that I could have plugged in here. Seattle and Tennessee, just to name two. However, out of the possibilities, I have to think that the G-Men hold the most promise, which gets them the nod. We’ll see how long they stay in the Top 12 with the Manning Bowl looming next week.